


Lake, Stars, and Conversations on Soulmates

by Diary



Series: London Spy: Hogwarts Edition [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, London Spy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Awkward Conversations, Bechdel Test Fail, Canon Gay Character, Conversations, Crossover, Friends Become Romantic Partners, Good Slytherins, Gryffindor Sara (London Spy), Hogwarts Fifth Year, Hufflepuff Danny Holt, Late Night Conversations, M/M, POV Danny Holt, POV Male Character, POV Queer Character, Ravenclaw Alex Turner, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Slytherin Pavel (London Spy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 00:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6064807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crossover. Fifth year Hufflepuff Danny meets fifth year Ravenclaw Alex. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lake, Stars, and Conversations on Soulmates

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter or London Spy.

Danny Holt splutters when the cold of the Black Lake hits him.

Feeling the giant squid wrapping a tentacle around his leg, he braces himself.

Sure enough, he finds himself moving upside-down and ends up being set down rather harshly on the hard paved stone path rather than the grass.

There’s a pair of shoes in front of him, but ignoring the person attached to them, he stands up and stalks back to the edge of the lake. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s not as if I asked to be dropped in, yeah? Or at least, not this time. Please, give me back my-”

He almost falls backwards when his journal smacks him in the face.

“Thanks,” he mutters.

A cold wave of water splashes over him.

He decides not to push it.

Once, Danny hid in an underwater cave for a few hours, and the giant squid will never forgive Danny for everyone disturbing him in their search for Danny.

Turning around, he jumps when he sees a fellow fifth year with wet shoes staring at him. “Er, hello,” he offers. “Sorry about your shoes.”

“Are you okay?”

“Me, I’m always okay,” he answers. The boy's tie is Slytherin, he notices, but the jacket has a Ravenclaw crest on it.

“My ties were stolen,” the other boy says. “Mister Hagrid found this one for me.”

Danny realises he was staring.

“Stolen?”

He looks closely at the boy. Fit, blue eyes, sandy hair, and he vaguely remembers this one is always one of the ones singled out for extra house points at the end of every term. Ravenclaw.

“I’m Danny Holt.” He offers his hand, and then, remembers he’s soaking wet. Quickly withdrawing it, he asks, “Have you talked to Professor Flitwick?”

“No. Would you like me to perform a drying spell?”

“That would be great, thanks,” Danny gratefully replies.

He does.

“Thank you,” Danny says. “Never quite got the hang of that, but I’m a wizard at- Well, obviously, I’m a wizard. Sorry. Muggle expression. I’m muggle-born. Which is sort of why I ended up in the lake this time, but never mind that, I’m sorry, I just realised I never asked your name.”

Get a grip, he tells himself. A cute boy doing something nice for you has never meant anything.

But it could, pops into his head. I really want a boyfriend.

The boy gives him a look Danny is all too used to. Then, however, he extends his hand. “I’m Alex Turner.”

Shaking it, he answers, “Danny. Which you knew. Um-” Looking down, he sees he has neither his jacket nor tie. “I’m fifth year, too. Hufflepuff. The sorting hat thought about putting me in Gryffindor but probably thought I’d end up getting myself killed.”

He laughs slightly, but the look on Alex doesn’t abate.

“Right. Anyway. I’ll see you around?”

“We’re both students,” Alex points out.

“Right."

…

Every night he sneaks into the Gryffindor common room and curls up on a couch with his mate, Sara.

“Hey, do you know anything about an Alex Turner?”

“Pavel does,” she answers. “They’re both in the gobstone club. Want me to send him a message?”

“Nah. Thanks, but we both remember what happened last time. I’ll ask him at breakfast.”

Giving him a searching look, she carefully offers, “I think he’s pureblood.”

He shrugs. Remembering how the Slytherin tie looked on Alex, he knows her implied words are probably right.

He’s never liked the term ‘losing your virginity’, but it fits what happened to him. He fell hard for a Slytherin boy, had sex, and now, he’s a target in more ways than one. He knew he might not end up with whoever the first person was forever, but he had really thought he’d be smart enough to choose someone special.

Purebloods especially, even those who aren’t Slytherin, often look down on him, but he’d thought-

“Don’t worry,” he says. “I’m not going to let Pavel get into any more trouble on my account.”

In something wonderful Danny hadn’t expected, Pavel had been fine with Danny being gay, annoyed and vaguely hurt Sara had known and he hadn’t, and downright vengeful when he found out how his housemate had treated Danny.

…

At breakfast, Pavel frowns. “It couldn’t hurt to get to know him, if you can. He’s very quiet. But he gets on well with Flitwick.”

“Why wouldn’t he,” Sara asks.

“Because Flitwick has goblin in him,” Danny reminds her.

“Oh, yeah."

“So, you like him, then,” Danny asks Pavel.

“I don’t know him,” Pavel answers. “Like I said, quiet. A genius at Arithmancy. He’s been taking classes with the seventh years in it since his third. Good at gobstones, too, but win or lose, he never shows much reaction. I think he’s in the chess club, too.”

“Sounds too smart for me,” Danny decides.

…

He successfully puts Alex out of his mind until he’s heading to watch Sara and Pavel practise for the upcoming Quidditch match and spots Alex sitting on a bench.

Noticing there’s no book, schoolwork, or game occupying Alex, he hesitates.

He hardly ever likes being alone, but the rare times he does, he gets prickly and angry when he can’t manage to escape people, and there’s no visible sadness or anything in Alex’s stance to suggest there’s something wrong. It could just be he likes sitting on a bench by himself and wouldn’t appreciate someone disturbing him.

Curiosity overrules these thoughts, and he goes over. “Hey.”

Looking over, Alex blinks. “Hello, again.” He moves to make more room for Danny.

Sitting down, Danny says, “Um, if you want to be left alone, that’s fine. I just thought, you know, neither of us really have anything right now, maybe we could talk? I love talking to new people. But I know some people don’t. My best mate, Sara, she hates it when boys talk to her, but that’s mostly because they’re only trying to hit on her. Pavel, he’s in gobstones with you, he says you don’t talk much, and um, I’m going to be quiet, now, and let you respond.”

If he thought it would help, he’d explain he normally doesn’t have this unexplainable nervousness and can usually talk to people in a normal, non-babbly way.

For a long moment, he thinks Alex is going to get up and leave.

Instead, Alex slowly replies, “I’d- like that. What should we talk about?”

“Are you going to the game on Saturday? Pavel and Sara are both beaters. They’ll probably end up in the hospital wing. Oh, if you didn’t know, Sara’s Gryffindor.”

“Quidditch has never interested me.”

Danny shrugs. “What does interest you?”

Alex gives him a look, and he suddenly has the horrible feeling no one has ever asked Alex such a question.

He hopes he’s wrong.

“Numbers,” Alex answers.

“Like Arithmancy?”

“Yes, that and numerology and regular mathematical equations.”

“I’m muggle-born,” Danny announces. “I did okay in maths, but I preferred the arts more.”

“As far as I know, I’m pureblood,” Alex responds.

The wording strikes Danny, but he gets the feeling it’s too early to try to see if there’s a story. “Did you go to a muggle school before coming here?”

“No, Frances, my mother, was in charge of my schooling.”

“Sara and Pavel probably aren’t going to seriously hurt each other during practise. They usually save that for actual games. Would you like to have dinner with us? We sit at my table.”

“Would that be okay with them?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Alex looks conflicted.

“Look, it’s alright,” Danny says. “Pavel’s loyal to his house, but he doesn’t buy into ideas about blood, and Sara’s nice to people who are nice to her. Sometimes, they bring over friends, too. You know Hufflepuffs, we’ll welcome almost anyone. But if you don’t want to, that’s cool. Just, if you don’t want to talk to me, just be blunt, yeah? I can handle it.”

“I do want to talk to you!”

Alex immediately looks chagrined, and Danny suddenly realises, _He really, truly is lonely_.

Danny moves his head until Alex is forced to look into his eyes. Smiling, he says, “It’s okay. Maybe you can join us some other time.” He digs out a crystal ball. “Look, a mate of mine enchanted this for truth or dare, but I can modify it. How about, if it turns blue, you tell me something, it doesn’t have to be anything really personal, and if it turns green, I’ll tell you something? No compulsions, I promise. Just, we both touch it, and wait until it stops spinning and turns a colour.”

Looking almost terrified, Alex agrees, “Okay.”

Letting the ball float up into the air, Danny wraps three fingers around the base.

Alex gingerly touches the crystal part with a finger.

They remove their hands, it flips around several times, and then, turns green.

“My turn,” Danny says. “Even before I found out I was a wizard, I wanted a cat, but my mum’s allergic.”

Looking slightly more relaxed, Alex reaches out to touch it again, and Danny follows suit.

…

When the bell rings for everyone to head back in, Danny asks, “Do you go to Qudditch matches?”

Shaking his head, Alex tells him, “Professor Flitwick lets me stay in the library.”

“Do you think he’d mind if I sat with you? We could talk some more?”

“Won’t your friends mind you missing their match?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time."

“I don’t think he’d mind, but I’ll ask,” Alex answers.

Then, he offers his hand.

Feeling vaguely surreal, Danny shakes it. “Thanks for talking to me today.”

“Thank you,” is the quiet reply.

…

“I found out he likes sherbet lemons and acid pops. I think he might like apple rings, but he’s never tried any. And he likes to mix different teas together to try them. I was thinking he might like-”

“Danny,” Sara interrupts.

“Er, talking too much?”

Kissing his cheek, she answers, “No. Danny- is he- I know it shouldn’t matter, but does he know you’re gay? Is he? Because, you fancy him. You can deny it, but you already fancy this one.”

Usually, whenever Sara tells him he can deny something, he eventually finds out she was right.

“He’s so lonely, Sara,” he tries. “You know I don’t like seeing people sad and lonely, not if there’s something I can do to help. And I don’t really know him at all. I know a little about what he likes to eat and that he’s really smart.”

“Just be careful, love. We don’t want Pavel getting expelled.”

He snorts. “Pavel kept things non-physical. It was you who set off that curse, don’t deny it.”

“Well, you need me more than you need him, so, he’ll be taking the blame,” she retorts.

“You can deny it all you want, but you and he are the brother and sister you’ve each never had.”

She kicks him.

…

On Saturday, he makes sure Madam Pince isn’t around.

“Look,” he says,” let me first just say: I’m not hitting on you. And with that out of the way, I’m gay. If that’s a problem, fine, but I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, seeing that you and Pavel have gobstones together. If it’s not, don’t worry, I’m not going to hit on you. I’m starting to think I’m never going to find a proper boyfriend, but I’m always happy to make new friends.”

“It- it doesn’t bother me.”

Danny studies him.

He isn’t sure if he’s seeing something he’d like to see or if Alex might be harbouring questions about his own sexuality. What he does see for sure, however, is the fact Alex is telling the truth about being okay with it.

He starts unpacking his stuff. “Good. Do you have any pets?”

“I have an owl,” Alex answers. “His name is Darby.”

“That’s cool. I always use the school owls or the post office. I was hoping to get a frog or toad, but my parents absolutely refused. What kind of owl is Darby?”

…

After the match is over, he checks to make sure Pavel and Sara’s injuries aren’t too bad, tells them he’ll see them later, and goes to the owlery with Alex.

Darby is a haughty-looking Eagle Owl.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Danny greets. He produces a skeletal treat. “Sorry, no meat, but most owls seem to like these.”

Darby gives him a suspicious look.

Setting the treat down, Danny backs away.

“Don’t you find me odd,” Alex suddenly asks.

Surprised, Danny looks over.

“No?” Realising this likely isn’t reassuring, he continues, “No, I don’t. Why, do you find me odd?”

“No,” Alex almost breathes out. “But I’m different from everyone else.”

“Well, everyone is different,” Danny says. “Here’s what I see, and feel free to object if you disagree: I think you’re smarter than most people here, and I think you’re shy. I imagine you have a lot of incredible ideas in that head of yours, but you’re not sure how to express them to people who aren’t as smart. It’s fine, though. Not every conversation has to be important. I like talking to you about sweets and teas. If you want to try telling me other things, I’ll listen. I can’t promise I’ll always understand or agree, but I’ll listen. If not, don’t.”

“I’ve never had a friend.”

Danny wishes he knew who was responsible for this.

“I’d like for us to be,” he offers.

“So would I.”

Darby hoots, takes a bite of the skeleton, and bows slightly at Danny.

“Thanks,” he says with a grin.

…

The next weekend, Alex stops him before he goes into the great hall. “I was wondering if you’d like to go for a walk with me after breakfast.”

He grins. “Sure!”

…

“Frances got me a wand when I was three and started manifesting my magic.”

Walking on a path of rocks, Danny glances over. “Is there a reason you call your mum by her name? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it, I know some people do, I’ve just always wondered why.”

“She’s not very maternal.”

Alex’s tone is neutral, but Danny gets the feeling this is a conversation it’d be best to steer away from. Withdrawing his wand, he says, “I can never remember what mine is. Do you think you could tell me?”

Accepting it, Alex nods. “Ten inches, hazel with unicorn hair.”

“What’s yours?”

Handing Danny’s back, Alex produces his own. “Twelve inches, oak with dragonstring.”

“Cool,” Danny says.

They resume walking.

“I know we’re not supposed to use magic outside of school, or at least, muggle-borns aren’t, but I’ve gotten several letters from the ministry already,” Danny says. “A few times, it wasn’t my fault, but most of the time, it was.”

“What did you do?”

…

When they get back to school, Alex offers his hand.

Patiently, Danny tells him, “You need to stop shaking my hand.”

“Sorry.” Alex quickly withdraws his hand.

Danny considers hugging him but settles for clasping him on the shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, yeah?”

Nodding, Alex tentatively smiles.

…

“You haven’t finished your homework?”

He almost makes a snide remark about how Alex had probably finished his on Friday but remembers this isn’t Sara or Pavel he’s dealing with. “I’ll do it tonight.”

Or possibly in the morning.

There’s also a chance he’ll not do it and take the consequences.

“I could help you.”

He’s not sure how well he and Alex would work together, but seeing the look on Alex’s face lets him know Alex isn’t going to be able to stop thinking about it.

Sighing, he says, “Alright, that would be nice. Thanks.”

…

When they finish his homework, Alex suddenly says, “I think I might be, too.”

Danny studies him. “Whatever it is, it’s okay, but I need more information.”

“Gay,” Alex almost whispers.

Carefully, Danny reaches over takes his hand. “Whether you are or not, it’s okay. It’s alright that you’re confused. I’ve pretty much always known, I just didn’t really acknowledge it until puberty started. Not because I was ashamed or anything, just because it wasn’t something I spent a lot of time thinking about. But I’ve known people who’ve been confused, and that’s fine. I won’t tell anyone. And if you need to talk, I’m here.”

“How did your parents feel?”

He can’t quite stop the bitter laugh. Quickly, he says, “The question’s fine. Um, look, my parents and I- I’m not the son they wanted, and if I’m being really honest, they aren’t the parents I want. Things might have been a little better if I weren’t gay, but basically, it’s just another, ‘oh, great, on top of all the other ways he’s a disappointment, he’s also queer,’ thing.”

“But,” he hastily adds, “not all parents are like that. Um, are you worried about what yours might think?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t imagine anyone considering you a disappointment.”

He squeezes the hand. “Thanks. You, either.”

…

In the Gryffindor common room, he buries his face in Sara’s hair. “I fancy him.”

She makes a knowing noise.

“But I can’t let that part out. He needs a friend so badly.”

“And what do you need?”

“I’d rather have him as a friend than trying to get another boyfriend.”

“Just don’t put him above yourself like you did with-”

“I won’t,” he promises.

…

“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”

Looking away from the game he’s playing with the giant squid, Danny ignores the wave of water splashing over him. “I made some bad choices,” he answers. “And I won’t tell you his name, because, even though he’s a horrible jerk, it’s still not my right to tell. I thought we were, and he hurt me. Fourteen, fifteen, yeah, I probably wasn’t actually in love, but I can honestly say that I did love him. I thought it was the same. If not for Sara and Pavel- I don’t know what I would have done.”

“I’m sorry.”

Going back to the game, he says, “It’s alright. I believe in soulmates. Eventually, I’ll find mine.”

“I don’t find that a nice idea.”

He almost falls into the lake. “What, me finding someone to be happy with for the rest of my life?”

“Not that part,” Alex answers with a frown. “The idea of soulmates.”

“Why not?”

“There are over six billion people in this world. There are thousands, if not millions, of languages. Some places have incredibly high infant mortality rates. Accidents and illnesses happen every day to people. What are the chances that this one person that would be perfect for you and you for them would live in the same country, never mind the same general area, and speak the same language? How can you be sure that they haven’t died or decided for other reasons to choose someone else? You don’t know what religious beliefs they might hold or what their society expects of them.”

Danny sighs. “We both know I can’t argue any of that. I’m not sure about any gods, but I do believe that everyone has another part to their soul, and eventually, they’ll be reunited with it. You’d have an easier time disproving the idea than I would proving it. I still choose to believe. So, what about you? Do you believe in romance and happily after evers at all?”

“Yes,” Alex answers. “I believe people can be good together. But why not just say that? Two people can get together, love one another deeply, and have a wonderful relationship, but theoretically, there might be someone better out there for both of them. Should they stay together and be happy, or should they always chase after this other person that might not even exist?”

“Whatever,” Danny says. Trying to push aside his annoyance, he continues, “Look, if I find my soulmate, when I talk to you, I’ll just say that he and I are good together. If you find someone you’re good with, I won’t suggest that you might be soulmates, alright?”

“Okay,” Alex agrees.

…

When Christmas comes, Darby delivers a present from Alex.

When Danny opens it to find a pair of reindeer socks, he impulsively hugs Darby.

The owl allows it.

Drawing back, he curses. “Oh, no. I have to find something else for him. I got him a book. What kind of- In my defence, I didn’t think he’d actually send me anything, or at least, not anything this great.”

In response, Darby screeches until Pavel comes in.

Landing on the book, Darby looks expectantly at them.

“No, don’t,” Danny insists. “See…”

In the end, Pavel body-binds him, loads the book up, and sends Darby off.

…

As soon as Alex returns from Christmas break, Danny hugs him.

He feels Alex tentatively return it.

“Thank you for the book. I’ve wanted it for a while now.”

Breaking the hug, Danny sees Alex is serious.

“Good,” he says.

…

They’re playing with Hagrid’s dog, Fang, when Alex asks, “What’s it like to kiss someone?”

“It depends on if you like the person you’re kissing,” he answers. “Or at least, for me. I’ve kissed some people I wasn’t actually interested in, but it wasn’t bad. Just not exciting. Kissing someone you like though, it’s brilliant. Er, again, that’s just how it is for me. I can’t really answer how it is for others.”

He almost offers to- but he knows it wouldn’t be right. Hopefully, when Alex is ready, he’ll find someone he really wants to kiss, they’ll want to kiss him back, and it’ll be lovely and magical in a way having nothing to do with the magic they can do.

“What do you imagine your soulmate will be like?”

Tensing at the reminder of the less-than-pleasant conversation they once had, Danny shrugs. “I don’t, not really. I love somebody. I’ve always loved them, and I always will. There’s something missing, and some day, this person will show up. They’ll be the person I’ve been missing. And it’ll be the same for them. I’ll be what and who they’ve been missing.”

“Loving someone you don’t know-”

“But I’ll get to know them,” he interrupts. “I know relationships mean work. Perfect relationships only exist in books. I imagine most people wouldn’t really want that, anyways. Being challenged by someone, two people working together, making compromises to make each other happy, I know about all of that. I don’t necessarily expect to run into someone, take one look at them, and go, ‘Oh, you’re my soulmate.’ Just, someday, I’m going to meet a boy, we’re going to get together, and I’m going to realise I love him and never want anyone else.”

“What if he dies? Or what if you do?”

He shudders. “Then, I’ll try to figure out what to do if that happens. It’s a nice day, let’s change the subject.”

…

He’s surprised when Alex agrees to sneak out during the night and sit on the astronomy tower.

“Do you know what you want to do after Hogwarts? I don’t. I’m probably going to find a muggle job after this term is over. When we graduate, I imagine my parents will change the locks if I’m not gone within a week or two. Of course, that wouldn’t stop a wizard, but I’ll save them the bill.”

Beside him, Alex tenses, and Danny belatedly remembers this isn’t Sara or Pavel he’s talking to. Even though Alex isn’t close to his parents, he doesn’t have problems like they all do and gets upset when Danny says such things.

Before he can apologise and try to cheer Alex up, however, Alex says, “Frances wants me to work for the ministry.”

“Okay, but is that what you want?”

“I want her to be happy.”

Feeling he’s on dangerous ground, Danny lies down and puts his hands under his head. “You might not like hearing this, but that’s approaching things the wrong way. I know what it’s like to want to make people happy to the point you’re willing to be unhappy. It’s not good. She’s your mum, and of course, you love her. But even though it might not feel like it, whether she’s happy or not with your job doesn’t matter. It’s important _you’re_ happy.”

“I’d like to kiss you.”

As soon as the words register, Danny shoots up.

Alex looks absolutely terrified.

Reaching over, Danny puts a hand around his wrist. “It’s okay,” he softly says. “Look at me.”

Alex does.

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” is the almost inaudible answer.

He’s not sure what to do.

Finally, he says, “If you really want that, we can try. But you have to promise, if you don’t like it or need to stop, you’ll let me know.”

Part of him is screaming, No, you promised Sara you wouldn’t be anyone else’s dirty secret. At the very least, find out if he wants a relationship or not. Kissing a boy who doesn’t even know what he is has never worked out for you.

“You, too?”

He nods. “Yeah. I need you to say the words.”

Alex looks at him. “I promise, if I don’t like it or need to stop, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay.” Removing his hand from the wrist, he lies back down and looks up at Alex. Reaching up, he puts a hand behind Alex’s neck. “When you’re ready, lean down.”

…

After Alex is back in the Ravenclaw tower, Danny goes to the Slytherin dungeons, gives the passwords, and sneaks into Pavel’s dorm.

Grumbling, Pavel opens his eyes when Danny puts his cold feet against his leg.

“I- I need to sleep with someone, and Sara’s probably already in the girls’ dorm,” he explains.

Summoning a pair of socks, Pavel throws them in Danny’s face.

…

In the morning, Pavel takes him to the empty common room. “Did Turner do anything?”

“No,” he answers. “We kissed. It was nice. I know it was a bad idea. Can we save the lecture for Sara?”

Nodding, he wraps his arms around Danny. “Good kisser?”

“Oh, yeah,” he sighs. “I mean, inexperienced, but it’s sort of not fair how good it was. I still don’t know what he is. I don’t even know if he knows. On second thought, I probably deserve both lectures.”

“Too bad,” Pavel says. “You’ll have to wait for hers. And she’ll have to wait until lunch. You’re going over to the Ravenclaw table, sitting down next to him, and you’re going to arrange a time to talk. If you don’t, I will, and we all know what sort of scene that would likely be.”

“Right,” Danny glumly replies. “Can’t I just pretend that-”

“No."

“Thanks,” he mumbles.

Done being a supportive mate, Pavel laughs.

Danny would pinch him, but he’s wrapped up so nice and snug and the glowfish outside the window are beautiful to look at in the firelight.

…

At breakfast, Alex smiles when Danny sits down next to him.

Ignoring the curious looks, Danny smiles back. “Hey,” he says. “Up for sneaking out again?”

Sara, he realises, might just kill me before the day’s over.

“I’d like that.”

…

By the time he gets to the astronomy tower, he still has no idea what to say.

He’s prepared numerous things, but which, if any of them, is the best, he can’t decide.

When Alex reaches over to take his hand, he almost sobs in relief and feels a different type of confusion overtake him.

“I like you,” Alex announces almost too quickly to hear. “I don’t know when your soulmate will show up, but until then, if you’d like, I’d like to be your boyfriend. It’s okay if you don’t want to, I’ll understand-”

Danny cuts him off with a kiss. “Yes,” he says. “I’d love for us to be boyfriends. Only- this isn’t just you trying to make me happy, is it? I don’t want that. We’re good as friends, and we should probably talk about the kissing thing and figure some things out, but if-”’

“I want to be boyfriends,” Alex repeats in a firmer tone.

Studying his face, Danny sees he means it.

“Okay. Yes." Leaning over, he kisses Alex and lets the kiss deepen.


End file.
